Roofing may be constructed of various materials, examples of which include asphalt shingles, composite shingles or panels, or metal panels. The roof is an expensive investment in residential or commercial construction, and roofing installations are expected to last for up to several decades. Because of its elevation and exposure, the roofs are susceptible to environmental damage from extreme weather conditions such as high winds, prolonged layering of ice, snow weight and hail. These elements cause the roofing materials to be eroded or to become dislodged at installation points and the seams so that the impermeability of the roof construction is breached, and the resulting ingress of water and pests becomes a further source of damage. Pest damage is another significant cause of roofing loss or early deterioration. In particular birds, as their habit, seek out elevated perches and often choose the eaves, i.e. the edges of a roof which overhang and project beyond the walls that form the sides of a building, and the peaks and ridges of the roof, which are the high points at the intersections of roofing panels on a pitched roof. While the birds use these points of elevation as perches, they also nibble on particles from the roof, for example pebbles of asphalt from the shingles. Eating small indigestible particles aids the birds' digestion. This bird behavior is ubiquitous and a major factor in the characterization of birds as pests by the construction industry. Their continued pecking at the edges of the eaves and ridges cause a gradual, premature deterioration of the roofing materials over time. In addition, the plucking away at these exposed areas of the roof can create openings through which birds and other pests can enter and create undesirable and unsanitary nests beneath the roof covering. Birds may also build nests that block ventilation systems within the building and also impede ventilation of the roof itself. The weight of droppings from birds nesting beneath a building roof can cause ceiling collapse. The presence of birds on the roof also increases the level of noise which may be a nuisance to building occupants. Further, bird droppings contain uric acid, and at a pH of from about 3 to 4.5, the acidity can eat through most roofing materials. The droppings also create an unsightly appearance on the roof surface.
The methods that have been used to deter bird roosting on sensitive roofing areas have involved using repellent structures and materials or limiting physical accessibility to the roof elevations. According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, owners of commercial buildings, which can suffer extensive bird damage at great financial losses, have resorted to devices such as bird spikes which involve installing numerous metal wires or spikes close together to form a porcupine-like arrangement pointed wires that discourage bird landings. An electric low-voltage current may also be run through the wires. These are expensive methods as the wires and electrical systems are difficult and time-consuming to install, and the obvious appearance on the roofing profile, especially in the case of residential roofing, is undesirable. Alternatively, scare devices such as balloons or animal images or characters can for a while deter bird approach; however after a while the birds overcome their apprehension at the presence of a static figure. The deterrent effect is reduced and the problem resumes. Another deterrent method includes applying a repellent liquid or paste to the roofing surface. These methods will require continual reapplication for the deterrent effect to be persistent. The foregoing bird repellent systems require significant additional expense and their effect is not permanent.
There is therefore a need in the field of roofing materials and installation for apparatuses, materials and methods that prevent roosting of bird pests, or alternatively prevent the damaging effects of bird roosting on roofs. Preferably, the needed solution would provide a protective covering that is durable, impermeable and made of a material than cannot be nibbled away by the birds themselves or otherwise eroded or degraded over time by environmental exposure. Further, such a solution should desirably provide protection over all the outermost elements of eave and ridge edges at the high points of a roof to provide a passive protective covering against the damage from bird perching. Such a solution is presented by the apparatuses and methods of the present invention.